The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) condemned the Aquino regime for appointing the fascist and criminal bureaucrat Panfilo Lacson, a close ally of Benigno Aquino III, to oversee rehabilitation efforts in areas devastated by supertyphoon Yolanda.

“Lacson’s appointment as the so-called rehabilition czar reveals the Aquino regime’s militarist and antipeople priorities in facing the demand for the rehabilitation of the vast areas devastated by supertyphoon Yolanda,” said the CPP.

“By appointing Lacson and giving him control of more than P40 billion (US$913 million) of newly allotted funds, the ruling Aquino regime is set to make use of rehabilitation efforts to advance the interests of big bourgeois compradors, especially of the big Chinese compradors, with whom Lacson maintains strong ties.”

“Lacson’s appointment is yet another indication of how the people’s demand for calamity response and rehabilitation is being subjected to the politicking and factional struggles of rival ruling class cliques whose main concern is how to take advantage of bureaucratic privileges for the benefit of their relatives, friends, loyalists and supporters in big business,” said the CPP.

“Aquino’s big capitalist friends, from the Ayalas to the Petillas, the Cojuangcos and Pangilinans, are sure to benefit from the massive influx of cash for big infrastructure projects and the displacement of people from prime real estate, particularly in Tacloban City,” pointed out the CPP. “By appointing Lacson, Aquino is also set to preempt rival political families in Leyte, particularly the Romualdezes, from obtaining control of large amounts of rehabilitation funds.”

“By appointing Lacson, Aquino also reveals his militarist mindset in suppressing the people in the areas devastated by the recent supertyphoon, in much the same way that he applied the Oplan Bayanihan campaign of suppression against the victims of supertyphoon Pablo last year, when they demonstrated their outrage at the Aquino regime’s criminal negligence in failing to address their needs,” added the CPP.

“Lacson is notorious for fascist brutalities during his career as a young military officer during martial law, and his bureaucratic criminal activities during his stint as police chief and security officer under the Estrada regime,” said the CPP. “He continues to maintain strong links with criminal syndicates involved in carnapping, kidnapping and illegal gambling through active police officers in his criminal network.”

“Lacson’s appointment dovetails Aquino’s refusal to relent in waging his Oplan Bayanihan war of suppression,” said the CPP.

“Aquino’s militarism is clearly shown by the fact that his ground forces in the Visayas, particularly the 8th and 3rd Infantry Divisions, continue to prioritize offensive military operations against the revolutionary base areas, instead of heeding the people’s demand for a ceasefire in order to facilitate relief and rehabilitation work.”